The moment Fenrir Giant Wolf fell, the Allies command headquarters across the Western Front erupted in thunderous cheers.
The soldiers threw off their helmets and embraced each other, weeping.
The generals on the front lines, overwhelmed by the " Perfect Beings," excitedly slammed their fists on the table and distributed expensive cigars and whiskeys to every staff officer.
We won!
Soldier Boy and Human Torch.
These two "gods" whom Lynn elevated to godhood utterly crushed Red Skull's trump cards.
Good news flew to all parts of the world like snowflakes.
The front page of the newspaper was dominated by Soldier Boy standing on the wreckage of a mech, the Batman Who Laughs, and a photo of the Human Torch descending like the sun.
The public's fervor reached an unprecedented peak.
" The God of War and the Guardian Angels have joined forces! The end of Hydra has come!"
" God bless America! Victory is ours!"
" Foresight! The repulsive field grenade changed warfare!"
Countless people flooded the streets, waving flags with Soldier Boy, Human Torch, and even the " Foresight " logo, celebrating this hard-won victory wildly.
In the eyes of the public, the name Lynn Morris is inextricably linked with victory, miracles, and the future.
However, the atmosphere inside the Pentagon's command center was completely at odds with the revelry outside.
There were no cheers, only deathly silence.
The Department of Defense held a document that had just been faxed from the " Foresight " holding company.
My fingertips trembled slightly from the force I exerted.
That was a bill.
An outrageously detailed list of war costs.
"Repulsion field grenade, model PZ-N-01, unit price: $8,500. 312 used in this campaign. Total cost: $2,652,000."
" Sentry Exoskeleton Armor (Experimental), Model S-01, Cost per Combat Loss and Maintenance: US$1,200,000."
"Emergency airlift logistics support, route A-7, flight mileage and risk assessment cost: US$780,000."
" Soldier Boy Psychological Trauma Assessment and Post-War Recovery Plan (provided by Foresight Mental Health Department): Budget $450,000."
" Human Torch Energy Output Monitoring and Data Analysis Service Fee: US$998,000."
Every expenditure was calculated down to the cent.
The densely packed numbers formed an astronomical figure that left all the generals present breathless.
The Department of Defense felt his vision go black.
He felt as if he wasn't looking at a bill, but rather a scene of a commercial behemoth called " Foresight " greedily tearing apart the corpses of war with its gaping maw!
"This... this is robbery!"
A general in charge of supplies roared, his face turning bright red.
"How dare he! How dare he treat war as a business!"
Why doesn't he dare?
The Department of Defense slammed the bill on the table.
"He made the grenades, he provided the armor, and he even has the instruction manuals for those two 'gods'! What can we use to refute him?"
The entire command center was completely silent.
The generals tasted the bitter fruit of victory for the first time.
They won the war, but felt they had lost everything.
Just then, the main screen automatically lit up.
Lynn Morris's face, so calm it was repulsive, appeared before everyone.
"Generals, congratulations to you, and congratulations to us, on this great victory."
" Mr. Morris."
The Department of Defense suppressed his anger.
Regarding this bill...
"Ah, the bill."
Lynn seemed to just remember.
"The costs of war are always enormous, aren't they? To keep production lines running and to develop more advanced weapons to deal with the next crisis, Foresight Company is under immense pressure."
He tapped the table lightly.
"However, I've always believed that money isn't the only way to solve problems."
"For the sake of our long-term cooperation, and for this country to recover from the trauma of war more quickly, I have a small suggestion."
"I hope... the military can prioritize awarding some post-war reconstruction projects, such as port restoration in Europe, military base expansion, and the redevelopment of abandoned industrial areas, to our Foresight's construction and engineering subsidiaries."
The true intentions are revealed when the true story is unleashed!
What he really wants isn't money!
He wants to use the debts of war to secure national interests for decades to come!
He wants to extend the tentacles of the " Foresight " from the War Machine to every corner of the country's future!
"You're using victory to blackmail the entire nation!"
An air force general with a fiery temper could no longer contain himself and slammed his fist on the table.
"General, please watch your words."
"I'm offering a win-win solution. Or would you rather see Foresight forced to halt all military production lines due to a broken funding chain? Including... the Cradle System that sustains Captain America's life."
A blatant threat!
The Department of Defense closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, all that remained was endless exhaustion and resignation.
"The committee... needs time to discuss this."
"Of course," Lynn nodded with a smile, "I've always been very patient."
Taking advantage of the fervent public opinion following this resounding victory, Lynn quickly launched his next plan.
He announced through Stars and Stripes that the Captain America Patriot Foundation, which he leads, will issue a new round of "Victory Bonds."
This time, he didn't use those vague patriotic slogans.
"Every Victory Bond is not just a show of support for the country, but also an investment in the future!"
" Foresight Holdings will provide a yield guarantee for this round of bonds! The future yield of the bonds will be partially linked to the profits of all Foresight Holdings subsidiaries, including those in pharmaceuticals, defense, and future post-war reconstruction projects!"
"Buying bonds is buying victory! Buying bonds is investing in the future! Let us share the spoils of victory with the creators of heroes and miracles— the Foresight Company!"
This highly inflammatory declaration ignited the entire United States.
The public's worship of " Foresight " has reached an almost blind level.
In their view, investing in " Foresight " is investing in the omnipotent Lynn Morris, investing in a future that is bound to be glorious.
People thronged the banks, waving banknotes and frantically buying up "victory bonds."
Lynn sat in her office, staring blankly at the skyrocketing bond sales figures on the screen.
He picked up the phone and dialed Dr. Horton's number.
"How's the analysis of Steve's physical data going?"
Dr. Horton's excited voice came from the other end of the phone. "Perfect! It's simply a masterpiece of God! Boss, we can start the next step anytime!"
"Very good."
Lynn hung up the phone and turned her gaze to another screen.
On the screen was an image of Steve Rogers sleeping in the Cradle life support pod.
His hero, his moral exemplar, his... perfect nanny.
Now, it's time to wake you up, my good captain.
However, before you wake up, I need to find you something to do.
Lynn's gaze slowly moved and landed on the map, on the scarlet marker that represented Hydra's last stronghold.
The Alps, the Valkyrie's Rib.
Red Skull... your Ragnarok is over.
Now, it's time for my grand finale.